The Lone Muse
by EtherealLightning
Summary: Honoka helped the other Muses recognize their feelings for each other, but has neglected her own feelings in the process. How will she cope with her feeling of loneliness?
1. Chapter 1

The Lone Muse

**Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live (as much as I wish I did).**

"Happy Valentine's Day, Honoka…" I said to myself, as I sat on the roof of the school, watching the sun start to set. Everyone else was enjoying the evening with their special someone, while I was up here, all alone. I wrapped my jacket tighter around myself, as a sudden gust of wind made me shiver. I raised my knees to my chest, and wrapped my arms around my legs. I rested my head on my knees, fighting the tears that were starting to build up.

_It's your own fault, Honoka. You're alone because you always put everybody else before yourself. You helped everyone recognize their feelings and to act on them…without realizing that you were neglecting yourself in the process. By the time all was set and done, you were all alone. The odd man out. _

I could feel the tears start to run down my face, and then I buried my head in my arms as I started to cry. I cried there for what seemed like an eternity, with only the wind and the setting sun as company. Slowly, I started to calm down. When I thought the evidence of my tears had sufficiently vanished, I stood up to go home. Taking one last look at the sun, I headed for the stairs. As I was leaving, I decided to walk by the club room. I stood in front of the door and listened. It sounded like everyone was watching a movie or something. I slid the door open quietly to see what was going on.

Our meeting table was moved off to the side to make room for everyone to lie on the floor, and a TV on a cart was set up in the corner, playing some romantic movie. Looking away from the room, I studied my fellow Muses. Rin and Hanayo were sleeping quietly in a corner, leaned up against each other. Maki and Nico were sitting in the back of the group, with Nico resting her head in Maki's lap and Maki playing with one of Nico's pigtails. Umi and Kotori were leaned up against the bookshelves and Kotori was resting her head on Umi's shoulder, both of them focused on the movie. Finally, Nozomi and Eli were simply sitting next to each other, holding hands silently. I could see the love each of them felt for each other.

After seeing all this, I could feel the tears start to build up again. I tried to keep myself from sobbing, but one managed to escape, and Umi looked towards the door. Her eyes widened when she saw me in the doorway, and she started to get up. Seeing her start to move, I dashed down the hallway, hoping to escape, the tears flowing freely.

"Honoka!" I could hear Umi yell from the club room. I glanced back, to see my fellow idols poking their heads out of the door, with Umi standing in the middle of the hallway, trying to get my attention. I looked towards the ground and kept running, and I could hear everyone else break into a run as well. After I had found my way out of the school, I paused momentarily at the gates, unsure of where to go. Soon, I could hear everyone yelling my name as they searched the school. I turned towards the school, and made eye contact with Umi, who happened to be walking past the school entrance.

"Everyone, she's over here!" I heard her yell into the school.

I started to run again, not knowing where I was going, just wanting to get away.

"Honoka! Stop!" I heard Umi and everyone else yell.

I shook my head and kept going. After a while, I couldn't run anymore, and had to stop to catch my breath. Looking up, I saw where I had ended up. The stairway by the shrine where we had practice. I sat down on the top of the staircase, panting.

_I…I think I lost them. I'm sorry girls, but…I don't think I can face you all right now. Please…don't worry about me. Just…be happy._

I wiped my nose on my sleeve and sat there in silence. The silence didn't last long, however, because soon my phone started to buzz in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw Umi's number on the screen. Pressing the reject call button, I slid my phone back in my pocket. A few seconds later, it buzzed again, this time it was Kotori. Once again I rejected the call and put my phone away. I cradled my head in my hands, trying to get my thoughts straight, when I could hear footsteps getting closer. I stood up, but I noticed that my legs were starting to feel wobbly. I tried to run again, but my legs gave out after all the running I had done. As I lay there on the cold concrete, I heard my friends getting closer.

"Honoka?! Honoka! Are you alright?!" I heard Umi say, and I felt her kneel next to me and rest her hand on my shoulder.

Somebody else knelt on my other side and gently touched my shoulder. "Honoka-chan…"

_Kotori._

"Honoka! What happened?"

_Eli._

Amidst the chorus of everyone asking me what happened and if I was alright, I tried to get up. Pushing myself off the ground, I only succeeded in raising my torso. My legs still weren't working right. Thankfully, my hair was covering my face, because I wasn't ready to see everybody.

_Everybody…I'm…sorry, that you had to see me like this. I try…so hard to stay upbeat…and keep a happy face on…in front of you all, but…I just can't…_

Someone reached down, and gently pulled my head up, and I found myself looking into everyone's worried eyes. "Honoka…" Umi, who had lifted my head, whispered.

"H-Honoka-chan…" Hanayo said, before her voice cracked and she buried her face in Rin's shoulder. Rin put her arm around Hanayo, looking like she was fighting back tears as well.

Seeing this made my tears start to flow again. I chuckled sadly. "I…must look…pretty pathetic…huh?" I said as I lowered my face back to look at the ground. "I'm sorry everyone…for ruining Valentine's Day…" I said.

Umi pulled my face up again, and looked into my eyes. I saw that she had tears in the corners of her eyes. "Honoka…you didn't ruin Valentine's Day. You…were the one who made it possible. Without you…we never would have had anyone…to spend it with…" Everyone else nodded silently in agreement.

Nozomi crouched next to me, and lightly touched my shoulder. She had tears in her eyes, but I could see that she was trying her best to put on her caring, almost motherly, face. "Honoka-chan? What…upset you so much?" She asked me.

"I…I…just…" I choked up, unable to find the words. I shook my head sadly.

Nozomi grasped my shoulder a little more firmly.

"I…just…feel so…alone. Seeing you all together…happy…it made me realize that…I don't have…anybody like that. Nobody…to be close to…to spend time with…to love…"

Eli knelt in front of me and placed her hands on the sides of my head.

"Eli…senpai…" I said, reverting to our old method of communication.

She smiled and shook her head slowly, her eyes red from crying. "Honoka…no senpai allowed, remember?"

I nodded.

"We're all friends here right?"

I nodded again.

She smiled again and reached forward and wrapped me in a hug. "Honoka…you're not alone. We're all here for you…so don't be sad. Ok?"

I couldn't speak, so I just nodded again. Slowly, everyone joined in, and I soon found myself in the center of a big group hug. I could feel the warmth from their bodies, along with the friendship and love they felt.

_Eli was right. Maybe I'm not dating anybody, but I'm most certainly not alone. I have eight other people to be close to and spend time with and also to love. Maybe not as lovers, but as dear and true, friends._

I started to cry again, but this time, they were tears of happiness. I smiled and looked up at the sky, admiring the stars.

"Thank you…everyone…" I whispered.


	2. Chapter 2

The Lone Muse: Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live!**

I woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside my window. I sat up and stretched, then opened the window. Sunlight flooded my room, instantly warming me. There wasn't a cloud in the sky.

_The weather is beautiful today. I should go for a run._

I yawned and got up out of bed. "Okay!" I said to myself, and walked over to my dresser. Pulling out my usual workout clothes, I got dressed. I checked myself out in the mirror and left my room. I paused at the door of my sister's bedroom.

"Yukiho? I'm going out for a run, okay?" I called. No answer.

_She must still be sleeping._ I smiled. _I woke up before her, that's new._

I walked into the kitchen, and saw my mom cooking breakfast.

"Honoka? You're up already?" She said when she saw me, her expression one of mild surprise.

"I am capable of waking up early, you know." I replied, smiling.

She chuckled and shook her head. "Okay. Anyways, do you want breakfast?"

"No thanks, mom. I'm gonna go for a run." I turned and started to leave, but stopped and turned around. "But…can you save some food for me?"

She nodded. "Okay. Have fun on your run."

I said goodbye and headed out the door. I paused outside to admire the crisp morning air. Closing my eyes, I just stood there, basking in the early morning warmth. After a few seconds, I opened my eyes and sighed. I had no particular destination in mind, so I just started jogging.

_It's been a week since Valentine's Day. The girls have been really nice to me. They've avoided acting super…lovey-dovey in front of me, and I really appreciate it. I'm so happy for them, but there is still an ache in my heart, seeing them together. Oh well. I love my friends, and I'm satisfied knowing that they're happy. _

As I had been jogging for a little while, I paused to look around. I found myself at the bottom of the steps by the shrine. I frowned.

_What is with this place? Why am I always drawn here? Maybe Nozomi is right, maybe this really is a gathering point for spiritual energy. A lot has happened here…so it definitely is a significant place to me…_

My thoughts were interrupted by someone crashing into me, knocking me to the pavement.

"Oww…" I said, sitting up and rubbing my head.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

I tried to hide a grimace. It really did hurt. "Yeah…I'm fine."

A hand reached down to help me up. Looking up to see its owner, I was surprised at who it was.

"Kira-san?" I took her hand, and she pulled me to my feet.

"Hey, Kousaka-san. You sure you're okay?"

I nodded. "I'm sure. Thanks for asking."

She smiled. "No problem. What are you up to?"

I shrugged. "Just going for a little run. Enjoy this amazing weather. What about you?"

"Same." She paused for a second, seeming to have an internal argument with herself. "Do you…want to run together?" She asked me, twirling her hair.

I was a little shocked, but it did not show on my face. _Tsubasa from A-RISE wants to run with me?_ I nodded. "Okay. That sounds like fun." I said, smiling. "Thanks, Tsubasa-san."

Her eyes twinkled. "Please, call me Tsubasa."

I blushed a little bit. "O-Okay. Then call me Honoka."

She nodded, grinning. "Okay…Honoka. Ready?"

I smiled. "Yeah. Let's go!" I said, before I started jogging. Tsubasa caught up with me and we jogged side by side. _I can't believe I'm hanging out with Tsubasa from A-RISE. Nico and Hanayo would be so jealous. _I smiled to myself.

Unbeknownst to me, Tsubasa was just as excited as I was. She was grinning from ear to ear on the inside. She snuck glances at me while we were jogging and smiled. _Today should be fun._


	3. Chapter 3

The Lone Muse: Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live!**

Tsubasa and I stopped in a fast-food restaurant after a while, because both of our stomachs started to growl. We ordered our food and sat down, talking about idol things, like costume designs or training regimens. We sat and talked peacefully, until Tsubasa asked me a question that completely stunned me.

"Honoka, can…can I ask you something?" She asked, avoiding eye contact.

We had gotten along great so far, so I wasn't worried at all about what she would ask me. "Sure, no problem." I said, smiling.

She looked at me, and took a deep breath. "Honoka…I was walking by the shrine last week…"

My smile froze. _Oh no. Did she see…?_

"…and I saw you…and everybody else in Muse. It looked like…you were crying. And I was just wondering…what happened?" She looked away again. "If you don't mind me asking…of course."

I just sat there, shocked. It took me a second before I was able to speak. "No, no…I don't mind." I said slowly, trying to formulate how to say what I wanted to say in my head. "…well…" I waited for her to look at me again. "Over the past month or two, I've been helping everyone come to terms with their feelings for each other…playing the matchmaker, you know? And on Valentine's Day, I realized…that I was all alone. Everybody in Muse had someone else, and then there was me. And…I realized that…and I…I…couldn't handle it…" I paused, trying to fight off the feelings that were attempting desperately to return.

"Honoka? Are…you okay?" Tsubasa asked, her eyes full of worry.

"Y-Yeah. Anyways…I ran away from everybody. I…didn't want to…ruin their day for them. They noticed, and tried to catch me. Eventually…I found myself at the shrine. They caught up with me, so I tried to keep running, but…I collapsed…and they caught up to me. I tried to apologize…but they wouldn't hear it. They said that I made it all possible…and they made me realize something. That…I wasn't alone. I might not have someone…in a dating sense…but I was surrounded by friends who love me and care about me…and now…here I am." I smiled sadly.

I noticed that Tsubasa had tears in her eyes. "Tsubasa?"

"…I'm sorry, Honoka…" She said, as she stood up and ran out the door.

I stood up to follow her, but when I got outside, she was nowhere to be seen. I frowned. _Why did she react like that? Unless…no…is she…going through the same thing?_ I knew now that in a time like this, the best thing to have is support from someone who cares about you. With that in mind, I started to look for her.

After about an hour, I was looking around in the park, ready to call off the search, figuring that Tsubasa had gone home. I searched for a bench, so I could sit down and rest…and found Tsubasa sitting, watching the lake.

"Tsubasa?"

She jumped. She looked over at me, and I saw that her eyes were red and puffy. "Honoka…"

I didn't know what to say, so I sat down next to her quietly. I glanced at her, and noticed she was still sniffling. Wordlessly, I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, squeezing lightly. She buried her face in my shoulder, and I could feel fresh tears soaking through my shirt.

"I…I don't know how you do it, Honoka. I…try to put on a brave face...but hearing what you went through…I wish I could deal with it as well as you…"

_Deal with it as well as me? What happened to her? _"Tsubasa…what happened?" I asked gently.

"Erena…and Anju…have always been close. Each of them have admitted individually…to me…that she likes the other. So…I decided to help them, like you helped Muse. It took a while…but I managed to get those two together. At the time I thought 'It'll be nice to see those two together…it doesn't bother me,' but then I realized…that it did bother me. They were happy to be together, and I know they didn't do it on purpose, but when they acted like a couple in front of me…it really hurt…"

She trailed off into silence, having stopped crying for the moment. I realized my arm was still wrapped around her, so I quickly retracted it. Tsubasa shivered a little bit in the absence of the warmth of my arm, something I failed to notice.

"I know what you mean, Tsubasa. Like I said…that same situation happened to me. You think you'll be happy because your friends are happy…but it just doesn't work out that way. You end up feeling lonely and unhappy…and it's really hard to cope with those feelings. Somehow I managed to get over them…for the most part at least…and I feel much better now. It'll be okay."

She sniffled. "Okay." She was quiet for a second, before she spoke up again. "Hey…Honoka?"

I turned towards her, only to see her arms spread open. She was blushing furiously. I could feel my face start to burn too. Hesitantly, I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around her. She was still sniffling, so I rubbed her back lightly.

"It'll be okay, Tsubasa." I whispered.

We sat there until Tsubasa had calmed down. When we finally released each other, Tsubasa smiled at me sheepishly, a smile I returned. We turned to watch the water, a content silence between us.

"Thanks, Honoka. I…feel a lot better." Tsubasa said, looking at me.

I smiled. "No problem."

Suddenly, Tsubasa grasped my hand. Shocked, I looked at her. She met my eyes and held her gaze. "Honoka, it was nice. Spending time with you today. I'm sorry that it ended like this. Maybe we could meet up later, and have a do-over?" She squeezed my hand.

My heart started to beat faster. I could feel it pounding in my chest. Stunned, I gave her the only response I could. "O-okay. S-sounds like fun."

She smiled and released my hand. "Phew…I'm glad you said yes."

"Well, when you ask me like that, how could I refuse?" I said, looking at her hand and giggling.

Her cheeks turned pink as she searched for an answer. Unable to find one, she just shrugged. She took out her cellphone and held it up to me. I knew what she wanted, so I pulled out my own phone so we could trade numbers. When she got my number, she stood up to leave. "Okay, well…see you later. I'll call you."

"Okay, Tsubasa. See you later."

She nodded and walked off. After she left, I continued to sit there, lost in my thoughts.

_Did she just…ask me on a…date? I mean…she held my hand…so…does that make it a date? _I buried my face in my hands. _I don't know! What should I do?! Do I treat it like a date? But if it's not a date…that could be super awkward. But if it is…_

I knew I would just keep going in circles if I sat there any longer, so I stood up and started to head home.

_I think…I would like…it to be a date…_

I smiled to myself and kept walking.


	4. Chapter 4

The Lone Muse: Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Love Live!**

I was lying on my bed reading a magazine, when my phone started ringing. Checking the caller ID, I saw it was Tsubasa. I smiled as I hit the accept call button and held the phone to my ear.

"Hi, Tsubasa."

"_Hey, Honoka."_

It was nice hearing her voice again. We texted each other every day, but we hadn't actually spoken to each other since the day we went for a run.

"What's up?" I asked her.

"_Nothing much. What about you?"_

"Just lying on my bed, reading. I'm so bored…this is the first interesting thing I've done all day."

"_Well…if you're not busy, do you want to do something later?"_

My heart quickened. "Sure!" I said, fighting to keep the excitement I felt from my voice.

"_Wow. You sound really excited."_ Tsubasa said, laughing. I could feel myself blushing.

"Yeah, yeah. What do you want to do?" I said, grinning.

"_I don't know. Want to meet up and make some plans?"_

"Sounds good. Why don't you come over to my house?"

"_Okay. Your family owns that Japanese sweet shop not too far from the shrine, right?"_

"Yeah. What time do you think you'll be here?"

"_Maybe in an hour or so? Does that work?"_

"No problem! See you in an hour! Bye!"

"_Bye!"_

I hung the phone up and rolled over to look at the ceiling. _Tsubasa is coming over! To my house! I can't believe it! _I grabbed a pillow and rolled around on my bed, trying to contain my enthusiasm, and failing miserably. I stopped when I heard my bedroom door open.

"Honoka? What are you doing?"

I turned towards the door to see Yukiho staring at me, wide-eyed.

"Oh...um…a friend of mine…is coming over." I said, laughing nervously.

"Honoka, you've had plenty of friends over, but I've never seen you…do that. Who…is it?" She said, still staring at me.

I blushed. "N-nobody…" I said, averting my eyes.

Yukiho came in and crouched next to my bed. "Ooooh…does somebody have a crush?" She said, giggling.

"N-no!" I knew my face betrayed me, as I could feel it grow even redder. I honestly didn't know if I DID have a crush. _I guess it makes sense though. How excited I got when she called. Turning red when Yukiho asked me if I had a crush. I guess…I like Tsubasa. But I certainly can't tell Yukiho that. _"Anyways…i-it's none of your business!" I exclaimed, trying to hit her with a pillow, something she easily avoided.

She laughed. "You SO have a crush on somebody! Who is it?!"

"N-nobody! Go away!" I yelled, covering my head with a pillow. I peeked out to see Yukiho stand up and skip out of my room, giggling to herself. Groaning, I got up out of bed and looked around my room. There were books and magazines strewn across the floor and a pile of dirty laundry in the corner. I sighed and started to clean my room.

A half-hour later, I surveyed my now-clean room. Everything looked to be in order, so I decided to take a quick bath. As I soaked, I thought about what to do with Tsubasa. _I'm still not sure if it's a date though. I don't want to suggest something date-like, and have it turn out to not be a date. Maybe we should go see a movie or something. That way, it can either be a date, or just hanging out. _I nodded. _Yeah. That sounds good. _Having decided, I got out of the bath and got dressed. After I got dressed, I sat around watching TV, waiting for Tsubasa to arrive. Not long afterwards, I heard somebody knocking at the door.

"I'll get it!" I shouted, nearly running to the door. I took a moment to calm myself before I opened the door.

"Hi, Honoka!" Tsubasa said, smiling, her eyes sparkling.

"Hi!" I replied, smiling back. "Come on in!"

As Tsubasa walked past me, I could smell the shampoo she used. My heartbeat quickened. _Wow. She smells really nice._ I closed the door, and led Tsubasa to my room. I sat her down and excused myself to go make some tea. After I left, Tsubasa sat in my room quietly, observing her surroundings.

* * *

_Hmm…Honoka's room is a lot neater than I thought it would be. I thought she'd be more of a messy person. Unless…_ I stood up, making sure no one else was watching, and crept over to Honoka's closet. Opening the door, I saw stacks of books and magazines precariously shoved into the closet. I smiled. _So she is a messy person. She just cleaned up. For me…_ I blushed. A slight movement by Honoka's bedroom door caught my attention. The door was cracked open, when before it was shut tight. Pretending not to notice, I watched the door. After a second, I figured whoever was on the other side of the door must not be able to see me, so I tiptoed along the wall towards the door. Pausing next to the door, I took a deep breath, then stepped forward and opened the door.

* * *

I was busy spying on Honoka's room, when suddenly the door slid open. I jumped back in surprise, releasing a little yelp. Shocked, I looked to see who had opened the door. I didn't recognize the girl standing in the doorway, but she DID seem vaguely familiar.

"I'm sorry! Did I scare you?" The girl asked me.

"N-no! I'm good." I said to her. "Do I…know you?" I said, after studying her face.

"I'm Tsubasa Kira. Nice to meet you," she said, extending her hand.

"T-Tsubasa Kira? From A-RISE?" I said, stunned.

She nodded and smiled, her hand still extended. Shocked, I reached forward to shake her hand. "Yukiho Kousaka. Nice to m-meet you too."

_THIS is Honoka's friend? I can't believe she didn't tell me! Tsubasa Kira is in my house! I should call Arisa and tell her!_ "Excuse me, Kira-san!" I said, before dashing off to my room.

* * *

"So…that would be Honoka's sister." I said to myself. "I can see the resemblance…" I laughed quietly, shaking my head. As I was finished exploring Honoka's room, I sat back down and waited for her to return.

* * *

_I can't believe it took me so long to make some tea! I hope Tsubasa isn't bored! _I thought to myself, as I rushed back to my room, the tea I made balanced on a tray, along with some sweets from the store. I entered my room, and found Tsubasa flipping through a magazine. She looked up when I came in and smiled. "You're back!"

I laughed nervously. "Y-yeah, sorry it took so long!"

She shook her head. "No problem." She craned her neck to see what was on the tray I was holding. "Those sweets look really good."

I came in and set the tray down on the table in front of us. I poured us tea while Tsubasa inspected the sweets. "So…what do you want to do?" I asked her.

She looked at me and shrugged. "I don't know, what do you want to do?" She said, and returned her attention to the sweets.

"I'm not sure. I thought it might be nice to see a movie or something like that. Or we could have a picnic…I don't know."

"I think…a picnic sounds like fun…" she said, twirling her hair.

The way she said it immediately made me blush. "O-okay." I checked the clock, and saw it was noon. _We have plenty of time. _We finished our tea and the sweets and then we stood up to leave.

"Thank you for the food, Honoka." Tsubasa said.

"Oh, no problem." I replied.

"Well, you ready to go?" She asked me.

I smiled. "Yep! Let's go!"

I was going to knock on Yukiho's door to let her know we were leaving, but I heard her talking excitedly on the phone, so I didn't bother her. We said goodbye to my mother and left. Outside the house, Tsubasa turned to me.

"Your sister seems nice, Honoka."

I paused. _Uh-oh. Yukiho found out who came over? And…does she think…that Tsubasa is the person I like? …Not that she'd be wrong…I guess... _I just nodded.

"Well…should we stop by the store?" Tsubasa asked me.

"Yeah, we should get some food." I replied.

Tsubasa nodded. She seemed to be lost in thought. I waited for her, and I was left speechless when she suddenly snaked her arm through mine. My face turned bright red in an instant. I looked over, and saw that her face was in the same state as mine.

_I guess that answers my question…_

I smiled and started walking, excited to see how the day would go.


	5. Chapter 5

The Lone Muse: Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Love Live!**

After we left my house, Tsubasa and I stopped by a convenience store to pick up some picnic supplies and food. We grabbed some sandwiches and a picnic blanket, and headed for the park. As we walked, Tsubasa snaked her arm through mine once again. I had gotten used to it by now, so I managed not to blush. I looked over at her, and saw that she was smiling contentedly. _She looks…really happy. _I squeezed her arm lightly, causing her to look at me. I smiled at her as we made eye contact, and she smiled back. There wasn't really anything to say, so we walked on in a peaceful silence.

When we arrived at the park, we found a small clearing in the trees, where we set out our blanket. I got out the sandwiches and we sat and ate. We talked about lots of things, our conversation never lagged for a second. After we finished eating, we laid down, side by side, on the blanket to watch the sky. I noticed that every time Tsubasa would point out a cloud that she thought looked like something, that she would scoot ever so slightly closer to me. I was curious to see how close she would get, so I didn't say anything. My patience was rewarded, when a little while later, Tsubasa pointed out another cloud, and I felt my side grow warm. I looked over at Tsubasa, and found myself staring into her green eyes, our faces only inches apart.

* * *

When Honoka looked into my eyes, I was left speechless. _Her eyes…are breathtaking…so beautiful…_ We just laid there, staring into each other's eyes, not wanting to ruin the moment by speaking. Slowly, I reached down and took her hand in mine. Her only response was a tender smile, which I returned. The peacefulness of the clearing and the warmth of Honoka's body cleared away the last of the nagging doubts in my mind. I decided…that it was time.

"Hey…Honoka?"

"Tsubasa? What's up?" Honoka asked me.

I took a deep breath. "Honoka… I really, really…like you. I think you're super funny…super cute…" I trailed off, as the embarrassment started to catch up. I had slowly looked away as I talked, so I looked back at Honoka, to see her reaction. She was smiling widely, and had tears in the corners of her eyes. My eyes widened. "Honoka? Are you alright?" I asked her.

She nodded, and squeezed my hand.

"…You're so selfless, and always put other people before you…you're just an awesome person to be around. I guess…what I'm trying to say is…I really like you, and I want to be around you." I looked her in the eyes. "Honoka…will you…go out with me?"

* * *

I was stunned. I didn't know what to say. _I can't believe Tsubasa just…confessed…to me. I'm so happy…I don't know what to do. _As I sat there, thinking to myself, Tsubasa was looking at me uncertainly. It didn't take me long to find my answer for her. Blushing furiously, I leaned forward, and pressed my lips to hers. Tsubasa froze for a heartbeat, and returned the kiss. I was ecstatic. I held the kiss for a few seconds, and then I pulled away slowly. "Tsubasa…of course I will." I said, smiling. Her eyes sparkled, as a huge grin crept onto her face. She pressed her forehead against mine, and looked into my eyes once again.

"Thank you…Honoka. You have…no idea how happy I am." She said.

I smiled at her, but I was shaking my head in my mind. _No, Tsubasa…thank you._

* * *

Unknown to us, we were not alone in the clearing. Hiding behind a tree were two excited soon-to-be highschoolers.

"Oh…my…gosh…Yukiho. You were right! Your sister…and Kira Tsubasa from A-RISE!" The blond one whispered to her friend.

The other one just nodded, her eyes fixed on her sister…and her new…girlfriend.

* * *

**Hey guys...sorry about the slow update. I had a bit of writer's block... Anyways... let me know what you think :)**


	6. Chapter 6

The Lone Muse: Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Love Live!**

Tsubasa and I stayed in the park until well after sunset. Unenthusiastically, we decided it was probably time to get going. We got up and packed our stuff, and left the clearing. Standing under a light pole, I turned towards Tsubasa.

"Well…I guess I should be getting home now…" I said, frowning. "I had a lot of fun today…I'll call you tomorrow, okay?" _I really don't want this day to end…_

Tsubasa smiled at me, and took my hand. "I'll…walk you home. Is that alright?" She asked me, blushing slightly.

My frown quickly vanished. I grinned at her, and nodded. She returned my grinned, and we started walking towards my house. As we walked, I noticed how cold it had gotten. Tsubasa rested her head on my shoulder, and I could feel her shivering. Slowly, I reached around her shoulders and pulled her closer to me, trying to warm her up. She responded by wrapping her arm around my waist. We walked the rest of the way to my house like that, my arm around her shoulder and her arm around my waist. When we came within sight of my house, we reluctantly let go of each other. When we reached my front door, we both stood there, not quite sure of what to do next. I could feel the awkward silence start to build, so I did the only thing I could think of. I leaned forward and kissed Tsubasa. She recovered quickly from the surprise, and returned the kiss almost immediately. I felt like I was flying. Remembering that we weren't somewhere private, and could be seen by someone, I pulled away. Tsubasa's face was bright red, and I knew mine was too.

"I had f-fun, Honoka. I'll call you later. Bye!" She said, wrapping me in a hug before she turned and jogged down the street.

I stood on the doorstep, watching her leave. I held my hand to my lips, stunned. I waited until Tsubasa had disappeared from sight, then I turned and went inside.

"I'm home!" I called, as it wasn't too late.

Yukiho walked out of the kitchen and looked at me. "Have fun today?" She asked, with a knowing smile on her face.

I looked at her quizzically. "…Yeah…why?" I answered, hesitantly.

She giggled and shook her head. "No reason."

I shrugged and walked past her towards my room. I set my stuff down on the floor and flopped onto my bed. I pulled my phone out, and saw I had a message from Tsubasa.

"_Today was amazing! __ Maybe do something tomorrow? Good night 3"_

I smiled, before typing out my response.

"_Totally! Good night! :)"_

I closed my phone, and rolled over, closing my eyes. All the excitement of the day must have been more exhausting than I thought, because I was asleep within minutes.

I peeked around the corner into Honoka's room, and saw her sleeping quietly on her bed, a faint smile on her lips. Seeing her like this, I smiled a little bit myself. _It's good that she's happy now. She was really upset after the whole incident with Muse. _I tiptoed into her room, and covered her with a blanket. I turned out the light, and shut her door softly. _I wonder what Muse will think…_ I thought to myself as I stood outside her door. _Arisa said she wouldn't tell anybody, but her sister IS a member of Muse…I hope she keeps it to herself…Honoka obviously wanted to keep this a secret, so it wouldn't be right to tell anyone what we saw…_

"Good night, sis. I'll keep your secret. I promise." I whispered, before heading to bed myself.


End file.
